Mon Feb 24 06:09:36 UTC 2025: **Chennai NGO Awarded for Empowering Brick Kiln Workers**

**CHENNAI, February 24, 2025** – The Tamilnadu Vidiyal Kattumanam Mattrum Amaippusara Thozhilaiarga Munnettra Sangam (Vidiyal Union), a union of brick kiln workers in Tamil Nadu, has been awarded the 29th Mary Clubwala Jadhav Award for Humanitarian Service. The award, presented by the Madras School of Social Work, recognizes the union’s outstanding work in empowering vulnerable unorganized sector workers. The Vidiyal Union received a cash prize of ₹1,00,000 and a citation.

The union, an initiative of the Tiruvallur-based NGO Integrated Rural Community Development Society (IRCDS), focuses on educating brick kiln workers – many of whom lack proper identification documents – about their labor rights, social security schemes, and safe working conditions. The union has established 63 branch unions at the village level to better protect workers’ rights.

According to P. Stephen, an advisor to the Vidiyal Union, the organization bridges the gap between migrant workers and government aid. Many workers, particularly those migrating seasonally between January and June, struggle to access benefits offered by the TN Construction Workers Welfare Board due to a lack of documentation. The Vidiyal Union assists with the necessary paperwork.

Over the past four years, with support from the Azim Premji Foundation and the Labour Department, the union has helped over 3,000 brick kiln workers in Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts. The work includes conducting baseline studies to better understand the challenges faced by these workers.

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